


Goddamn Luck

by Chayah2Ella



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Minor Character Death, Multi, there will be more as i keep writing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-17
Updated: 2015-07-27
Packaged: 2018-03-31 01:35:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 20,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3959497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chayah2Ella/pseuds/Chayah2Ella
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A fighter, a thief, a medic, an assassin, a farmer and an explosives expert</p><p>When you think about it, together they make the ultimate team to try survive the zombie apocalypse. And even if they didn't, no one was around to stop them.<br/>In which Ryan gets mugged by a bad thief, and all goes downhill from there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Gavin and Ryan

‘Fuck’ was literally the only thing Ryan could think as his feet fell over each other, causing his knees to give out as his body collapsed under him.

This time, in Ryan’s mind, ‘fuck’ was a total understatement. Fuck he had really fucked up. He got cocky. He got stupid. He should have been more aware. Those moments before your death where your whole life supposedly flashed before your eyes? Nope. All he could think was how he should have looked where he was going. He should have seen that crawler under the grass. He should have at least fucking heard it. He could taste the blood where he had bit his lip too hard in the fall. He could feel the rocks in the ground digging into his stomach, his skull, his legs, well fucking everywhere. Not to mention the fucking brick that seemed to have fucked his arm when he feel on it. If he thought he would make it out of this he’d probably worry it was broken.

What a shame lawn maintenance wasn’t a higher priority in a zombie apocalypse.

Because this is how he was going to die. Ryan Haywood. A man who had fought the odds, who had escaped hordes that no one else had. That wasn’t luck. Luck didn’t exist anymore, not to people. That was skill. And here he was, lying face down on the ground with a fucking probably-broken arm and grass tickling his nose all because one. Fucking crawler. Got lucky.

Now don’t get him wrong, on a normal day Ryan would totally fight back. But whether it was that he was exhausted from the fight only moments earlier, or that his arm was in excruciating pain, or even that he had been on his own too long to really care, he just couldn’t find the energy. This was the moment Ryan Haywood was going to final break.

Or at least that was what he thought.

But after a few moments of lying there, eyes squeezed shut and body tense, waiting for that feeling, that disgusting sound of a zombie ripping into flesh, into his flesh, he realised that nothing was happening. A sudden realisation brought him back to reality with four short words:

“Don’t you dare move”

The relief that suddenly flooded Ryan’s body was so intense all he could do was laugh. He was laughing. He wasn’t going to be shredded to death and he wasn’t going to become one of them. He hadn’t tripped over a zombie, he had tripped on something but it wasn’t a zombie. Well. Fucking amazing. His throat was raw from not having drunk in a while, his laugh came out horse and broken, but fuck it if he wasn’t going to laugh at this, at his own stupidity.

“Stop laughing- The hell is the matter with you?” A man’s high pitched voice came from over him again. Ryan’s laughing slowly fell into a chuckle and then he fell into silence, knowing agitating this man would be more trouble than he was worth. The voice of his ‘captor’ sounded as dry as his own, but amongst the broken words he could just make out an unusual British accent. Ryan had hear about this, survivors building traps and hiding around them, waiting for another human to fall into it so they could rob them. It was dirty and morally wrong, but he understood, it was just another way of survival. Sometimes they might then kill their victim. Normally they wouldn’t.

“Better.” The Brit spoke again “Now I’m going to take your bag and anything else I want from you. You just stay still and we won’t have a problem.”

 Ryan found himself wondering which type of thief his captor was. His instincts told him this man was bluffing. But as the man pulled the backpack off his back, even the one smooth movement against his arm caused him to wince. Regardless of if this guy would kill him or not, no way Ryan could get him off with just his left arm. As he felt the slight dip in the ground to his right he turned his head just to see his captors face.

“I said no moving” Ryan inwardly cursed. If he could just see this guy’s face- even if he couldn’t get revenge now, by whatever non-exiting god there was he would track this guy down and get him later. He turned his head back so that his nose was pressed against the ground, his eyes shut again. As he did he felt the man reach into his jacket pockets, starting with the lower ones against his thigh.

“You could at least buy me dinner first.” Ryan’s voice still sounded hoarse, and was muffled against the grass, a few stray blades going into his mouth as he opened it. He almost instantly regretted it as one of the hands immediately removed itself and punched him on his broken (yeah definitely broken) arm.

 

* * *

 

 

Some more awkward moments, one shotgun, one pistol, three throwing knives and one pocket knife later, and Ryan finally heard the rustle of the grass  as the Brit stood up beside him.

“You can get up now” The Brit spat at him, clearly having had enough. Ryan felt the ties around his legs loosed and then leave completely. He let out a quick sigh of relief, flexing his ankles, now he could actually get a decent look at this guy. He just had to get up. His arms and legs felt dead from being forced to be still for so long, and as he tried to push himself up on his left arm he felt it collapse under him, his torso falling headfirst to the ground again, sending a sudden pain to his other arm as he fell on top of it, again. He almost considered asking his captor for help up, after all if he wasn’t going to kill him why should he leave him to die.

“Sorry mate” The Brit said, his voice seeming more sympathetic now “Didn’t mean to break your arm ya know, consequence of the job and all that”

“Seriously?” Ryan shouted at him, rolling over his good arm so that he was at leas lying on his back now. “You’re seriously going to tell me that it’s okay you rob me blind but god forbid you actually hurt me?”

Well Brit boy clearly hadn’t been expecting that. Ryan looked up to see a scrawny kid with tanned skin, dirty brown hair and a nose seeming far too big for his face, wearing clothes that were clearly far too big for his body, who was making a face that somewhat resembled a goldfish at the moment, clearly most people he robbed didn’t talk back to him. Seeing him looking so small Ryan almost felt a twang of sympathy for the idiot, he looked like he could barely handle himself against a half-dead zombie, let alone another human. “Have you ever actually done this before?” He found himself wondering out loud.

“Well yeah of course I have you dope!” The Brit quickly responded, as if offended by the others comment, but brushed it off quickly as he heard another voice. Well, more like a moaning. An agonised kind of moaning coming from the woods Ryan had been running from in the first place. “Bloody hell” he mumbled, quickly swinging Ryan’s over one shoulder, followed by his own, now filled with the stolen weaponry. Suddenly there was that moan again, followed by a few more. Well. Shit. A hoard. They may not have noticed them yet but Ryan knew they had two minutes if they were lucky, and just his luck the Brit seemed to have frozen, eyes staring out at the forest, panic across his face. He must have realised the same thing.

“Give me a hand!” Ryan yelled, he knew he wasn’t in a position to be giving orders but this was the only way he was going to get out of this alive, and the kid looked just about scared enough to listen to him. “I need you to listen to me, you have to help me up or you might as well have shot me” He said, his voice quieter but still with the same harsh tone, trying not to attract attention to them. He lifted up his good arm for him to grab, seemingly snapping the Brit out of it as he stepped forward and grabbed his wrist, pulling him up. The difference in the weight between them felt so great to Ryan he couldn’t help but think he would end up pulling him down instead.

“Okay” He whispered, all too aware of the surrounding zombies. Once he was standing and his arm was released, he quickly snaked it round the Brits shoulder, leaning on him as his legs regained feeling.

“Now who has to buy who dinner” The Brit muttered under his breath so quietly, that if Ryan hadn’t been standing right next to him he probably would have missed it. He chose to ignore it.

“We need a shelter to stay the night. Close. It’s going to be dark soon”

“I know somewhere”

And so somehow, the thief ended up leading Ryan down an invisible path, to a small lake with a cottage on the side of it that had clearly seen better days. The windows were all boarded up with wooden planks and dirt, there was only one door, fortunately, but even that seemed to be on its last legs. Ryan, regaining the ability to walk on his own, detached himself from his human walking stick and held out his arm, signalling for them to stop walking. He listened carefully, for any noise that might be credited to a zombie, in or out of the house. After a few moments of moaning too far away to be directed at them, Ryan entered the house with his new ‘friend’ following closely behind him.

 

* * *

 

 

“What’s your name?” After what had felt like hours of silence- the kind that was never comfortable because you were always listening for zombie noise- the Brit spoke up. He had taken a seat in what Ryan guessed used to be the dining area, the contents of both their backpacks laid out in front of him. He hesitated for a moment, considering if telling his name was really a good idea, people try to get close, too close, and people slow you down. They were the rules. But this guy- this goddamn guy had robbed him and then carried him to safety. He might as well get his name.

“Ryan.” He responded, he had made himself at home on the couch with its back to the table the Brit sat at.

“Just Ryan?”

“Yeah, just Ryan” It wasn’t unusual, family names were one of the first things to go when the world went to shit, unnecessary hassles. Ryan’s family was dead now anyway. “Yours?”

“Gavin. Gavin Free.” He said his name with such a sudden burst of confidence that Ryan was brought back to the man who trapped him rather than the boy who got scared. He looked over at him now, the dim lightbulb causing his shaggy fringe and large nose to cast shadows over his face.

“Free huh? Funny name. That real?” Most who had family names changed them to match the groups they travelled with, their ‘new family’ so to speak. But instead of a response Gavin just shrugged and stood up, walking over to the fridge just out of Ryan’s view. He appeared again holding out an open bottle, half full of water, to Ryan, who gratefully reached out with his good arm and took it, after to down it when he glared at it, and back at Gavin.

“You poisoned this?” He asked, looking straight into Gavin’s eyes

“Wha- No! Of course not!” Gavin almost screeched, and then added in a calmer voice “Why would I do that?”

“Hell if I know, but you break my arm-“

“Unintentionally!”

“You rob me, then you save me. Excuse me for not being entirely certain what your motives are”

“Fine!” Gavin muttered, snatching the bottle back before taking a large swig of the water “less for you then. Happy now?”

“Very” Ryan responded, and took it back, finishing the bottle in one gulp “Well, thanks, I guess” He said as Gavin sighed and fell into the armchair opposite him. “So you live here?”

“Nah. Used to though. Alright spot but found better and all that” Ryan nodded. He got that. Even settlers tended to move around a lot, one place rarely staying so safe for long.  Although this guy didn’t seem like the settling type to him.

“Look, I know we just met and all that, but I’m pretty sure my arm’s broken, and it’s killing me, so considering it is your fault, and I seem to be stuck here until morning at least, you got any medical stuff? I know there are painkillers in my bag.”

“Yeah, you can have those back I guess, but that’s it. I run out of that stuff quick. I know this guy no too far from here- he was a pharmacist before all this zombie stuff happened- fixes people up in return for stuff.”

“Seriously?” Ryan let out a sigh of relief. The idea that this guy could fix up his arm was suddenly very appealing. “How far? Point me in the right direction and I’ll be off tomorrow” he promised.  

“A few miles.” Gavin shrugged “I’m going there next anyway, I’ll show you the way, and in return, you can owe me a favour.”

“A favour?” Well that was unusual. He supposed in Gavin’s mind he already had everything Ryan owned, so a favour made sense. But it was what he would ask for that worried Ryan. Nothing so far had lead him to believe that this guy could be devious in any way, but you never knew. Ryan was a man who honoured his word, he was just scared of what that could be.

“Yeah a favour. Could be big, could be small. Nothing I want right now, so I’ll just ask in the future.” The future. This guy- he didn’t really think Ryan would be sticking around did he? Once he was fixed up by the doc he’d probably steal some of his stuff back and then that would be it.

“Deal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to comment- CC is always welcome  
> This was my first fic so I hope it's okay and sorry for any mistakes


	2. Jack

When the world had gone to shit, for lack of a better term, certain people with certain skills suddenly became a lot more popular. Jack wasn’t a surgeon, he technically wasn’t a proper Doctor, but he had been a pharmacist for about seven years, which meant yeah, he did have a pretty good idea of what he was doing when it came to fixing people up. Yeah sure, one of the first things survivors did after the first major wave was to loot any medical store of its contents- but did that mean they knew what to do with half that stuff? Hell no.  After that first wave the majority of the people to go were the Doctors and Nurses working in hospitals, only realising too late how contagious the disease was, leaving a serious shortage of people with medical knowledge.

Jack was a nice guy. He was friendly, constantly putting others needs before himself, and while those were the kind of traits that made people like you, they wouldn’t help you survive in a zombie apocalypse. So, he was lucky. His skills meant people kept him around, even the more… unsavoury characters needed help from time to time. Most gave him good stuff in return to. He didn’t have to scour the land to survive, and as long as he settled in a popular place he was pretty well protected. Yeah, Jack was living a pretty good life, set up in a standard sized settlement in what used to be Austin, he had all the supplies he needed, a job that kept him busy and distracted, and the odd regular, that he would even go so far as to call a friend.

Gavin was one such customer. So when he sauntered into the small abandoned café where Jack had set up shop he wasn’t surprised. What did surprise him was the tall, somewhat terrifying looking man behind him, to the point where he turned to Gavin and asked:

“What did you do this time?” As the lad sat down on one of the chairs surrounding the table in the middle of the shop, each back making a loud thump as he dumped them down on the table next to him. The other man just looking slightly awkward in the doorway, not knowing how to treat the situation.

“Why’d you always assume I’ve done something?” Gavin cried in response, holding up his hands as if to say ‘not guilty’. But all Jack did was raise an eyebrow in response, not convinced, and he continued “This is Ryan” he tilted his head up towards the door to indicate the tall man, who now had a small smirk on his face, somewhat entertained by the scene in front of him. “He’s gone and broken his arm”

“You mean **you** broke my arm” The man known as Ryan snapped back at Gavin, causing Jack to sigh. Gavin had done little to convince him he wasn’t the personification of chaos at this point. There were regulars, and then there was his fortnightly visits from Gavin who would sprain or break or slash something new. He hadn’t brought someone else in before, but Jack supposed it was only a matter of time.

“Sit up here- I’ll need you to take off your shirt” Jack ordered Ryan, half-heartedly waving at once would have been a countertop, now had a long pillow, like the kind you’d find on a sun lounger, on top of it that Jack used to examine his patients. To his surprise Ryan didn’t make a fuss, or ask questions, he just walked up and sat on it so his feet dangled just above the ground, surprising Jack. It wasn’t that most of Jack’s patients didn’t listen to him, it was that Gavin never did. But this guy just sat there, pulled off his jacket and then his shirt, or at least what was left of it. The thing seemed to be caked with mud (Jack was sure it started as a white shirt) and there seemed to so many slashes and tears that it was a miracle that it had lasted so long.

This guy… it wasn’t that Jack had a problem with him, more he didn’t understand why Gavin had seemingly attached himself to him. Or, for that matter, why Ryan had let him.

“Enjoying the view?” Ryan’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts, although his words weren’t intended for him, rather the gawking Brit behind him, who blushed and snapped his head away, making his signature squawking sound as he did. Jack shook his head, smiling to himself. Gavin should bring friends home more often.

Except this wasn’t Gavin’s home.

Or at least that’s what the lad insisted every time Jack would accidently refer to it as one.

“You know…” Jack started as he examined the man’s arm in front of him, gently taking it in his gloved hands and slightly prodding just below the shoulder “While you’re here, you should probably go see Geoff. He worries.” He muttered the last part, Ryan wincing as he pushed on the spot a little too hard.

“I was going to anyway. Found some stuff to trade in” Ryan snorted at Gavin’s use of the word ‘found’, and Jack shook his head, knowing what that meant by now. “Which reminds me! I brought you something!” The lads mood quickly flicked to excitement as he opened his backpack, carelessly tipping out Ryan’s weaponry until he brought at a clear plastic box, slightly smaller than a shoebox with a big red lid, half full of brightly coloured lollipops. “Look!”

Jack finally turned away from Ryan for a moment, only to tut at him;

“I really wish you wouldn’t leave all that weaponry lying on the table like that. I’m a doctor. It’s bad for business.” He responded, continuing to feel Ryan’s arm.

“Jack!” Gavin cried at him “You completely ignored my amazing discovery! And it’s not like you’re a proper doctor anyway!”

“Gavin…what do you expect me to do with a box full of lollies?” Jack sighed, walking away from them both to pull out a pack of clean bandages.

“Like when you went to the Doctors when you were little and they gave you lollies and stuff!” Gavin said excitedly, and Jack turned to face him properly-

“What kind of Doctors did you go to?” Ryan muttered, having watched the exchange, cutting off Jack who was probably about to say the exact same thing. The lad stared gaping at the two, not sure what to say, settling with muttering what sounded like ‘bullies’ under his breath. Jack turned and laughed at the man, and began to wrap the bandages around Ryan’s arm.

“Gavin I like this one, you can keep him” He said without looking up

“Wha-” Now it was Ryan’s turn to look flabbergasted

“It looks like you’ve fractured your arm, it’s not broken, but you’ll need to keep it in a sling for at least a month” Jack’s voice was calm and much more serious now, even a simple injury like this could mean death nowadays. All it took would be one unfortunate encounter with a zomb and not being able to reach his gun in time and Ryan would be screwed. “I wish I could be more accurate but we haven’t got a x-ray machine. I have pain meds you can take- would probably also speed up the healing process, but I haven’t got many of them so you’re gonna have to pay…” Jack trailed off, looking up at the man in front of him. If his assumption that Gavin had robbed this guy was right he probably didn’t have anything left to pay him with. Sighing, and a wave of pity falling over him he said “Alright Gavin, I’ll take your bloody sweets.”

“Awesome. So you don’t really have anything I want but you could always owe me a favour-”

“No. No way. I know about your ‘favours’ Gavin. I’m good thanks. I’ll be taking it in return for fixing up your friend and the meds I’m gonna give him.” Jack said, walking over to take the box out of Gavin’s hands before he had a chance to properly respond.

“But that…” Gavin began to protest

“Was your fault from the sounds of it. Serves you right.”

“Whatever” Gavin grumbled in response “I’m going to go sell his stuff Geoff.” He snapped, quickly shoving the weaponry over the table back into his bag, before swinging each backpack over a shoulder a strutting out.

“Tell him to hurry up with those new bandages!” Jack called out after him, finally turning and focusing on Ryan, who suddenly looked particularly uncomfortable, and Jack was fairly sure it wasn’t just because of his arm.

“So…uh… could you just give me the bandages and those meds and I’ll go…” He muttered, awkwardly shifting in his seat. It seemed incredible to Jack, that someone so seemingly terrifying was so shy around strangers. It was pretty obvious he was a wonderer, not staying in one place too long, which was a fine way to survived- if you weren’t injured.

“Where will you go?” Jack sked out loud, although he didn’t really expect a response from the man, walking over again to the cupboard at the back, pulling out a labelless bottle of pills and some canvas cloth cut into shape for a sling.

“Depends. Where am I?”

“Texas. Where you’re going to have to stay for a while. Sorry. But I need to keep an eye on your arm if you don’t want it getting worse- plus no way are you going to be able to survive with your arm like that.” Instead of a response to this all he got was a sneer. Well figured this Ryan guy wasn’t going to like that, he seemed like the type to be on his own. But if he wanted to properly take care of himself he would have to stay. Jack settled on changing the subject.

“You didn’t know where you were?”

“Nah. Started moving after our second wave. Never really thought about where I was going.”

“Where you from then?”

“Georgia.” Jack paused, stopping measuring the pills out to look over at the man, frowning.

“No way you walked from here to Georgia.” He muttered, but in reality thought ‘no way you made it out of Georgia’. It was common knowledge that it was the south-east coast to get his first, and hit the hardest. Supposedly a total no-survivors zone. But Ryan just shrugged as if it were nothing.

“I had a car. Robbed a few place for fuel-not that there was anyone there to stop me, or at least anyone alive, and just kept going west… lasted till Louisiana, ended up having to run over a hoard but then the car just didn’t start again.”

“So you must have really seen what it’s like out there.” Jack asked, only prompting a nod as a response from Ryan. Jack’s skills, plus the fact the Austin didn’t get it as bad as a lot of other place, meant that he really hadn’t had to move around much. He knew it was bad out there. He had still had to deal with is fair share of zombies, but Ryan must have watched whole cities burn to the ground.

No way he didn’t have to kill other people to get out.

The sudden thought of this man as a killer set Jack back to his initial terrifying impression of him, and suddenly he wasn’t sure how comfortable he felt about having him around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay Jack!   
> Okay not sure how I feel about this chapter but it's done. Might come back to edit it later. Next will be Geoff, then Lindsey and Ray and then Michael. Roughly. And maybe Dan. We'll see. These chapters are kinda supposed to act as introductions for the characters as well as the world.   
> CC always welcome :)


	3. Geoff

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A wild Geoff appears.  
> Actually a wild Gavin appears on top of a wild Geoff.

Geoff (just Geoff he’d tell you if you asked) was just one of those guys that always seemed to know what he was doing. He was smug, confident, smart and always had a plan.

He had been in the military back in the day, quit after three years claiming that ‘he just got bored’, and he wasn’t the kind of man you’d question about that. So he’d settled buying farmland an hour’s drive west of Austin, with a large cottage where he could live comfortably on his own, and a small apartment in town which he had inherited from his parents. It wasn’t much but it was suitable for when he found he needed to stay in the city for extended periods of time, which was where he met his friendly neighbour Jack. Neither had even thought about going back there since the outbreak.

Since the outbreak he’d decided to try settle, fresh fruit and veg was a luxury, but he would trade it for cheap, the farm providing him with plenty and the isolation of the location meant the produce was safe from the zombies that might try to destroy it. He had set up ‘Geoff’s farming mercantile’ in an old appliance shop a block from the café where Jack now worked, due to there being a lot of fridges, plus a couple of safes.

“Geoff!” He turned from locking up the safe at the back (the one that was used for the excess weaponry he was traded and didn’t use) just in time to get an armful of Gavin as the Brit tried to tackle him to the ground.

“You alright there buddy?” He replied, trying to hold back the laughter that seemed to become infectious whenever the Brit was around.

“Jack said you missed me.” Gavin responded in a teasing voice, but Geoff knew that behind it there was a level of sincerity. When the world was like this, you had to hold on tight to the friends you had, and Gavin’s constant need to go out and put himself in more and more danger terrified him. That was all. A friendly worry.

“He mean to say I missed the rent you owe me.” Geoff said, raising an eyebrow, and realising he was still holding him up he carefully put the lad back on the floor.

“Then you, Geoffrey, are in luck! The guns are all yours.” Gavin exclaimed and swung round his backpack, throwing it at Geoff. Geoff sighed, but allowed his curiosity to overtake him as he opened up the bag and saw the two guns, pulling them out and placing them on the table in front, frowning and turning to give the Brit a look that clearly meant ‘we’re going to be serious right now.’

“Look Gav- I know we joke about you paying me rent and stuff all the time, but-”

“Hold it right there. Everyone else pays you for their rooms. Even Jack does the cleaning in return! I thought I was clear before.” Geoff could hear how he’d offended the Brit with his words, and it made him flinch on the inside, although he wouldn’t let it show. “I don’t want special treatment.”

The farmhouse Geoff owned was large enough to accommodate a few people, and, used to Jack company, when they both realised they couldn’t return to their flats in the city Geoff had kindly offered him a room out there. Since then passers-by would occasionally trade stuff for a meal there and to stay a few nights, but other than Jack and Gavin there were no long-term guests.

“I was going to say” Geoff said, recollecting himself “But I’d rather you just brought me fuel for the car.” It’s not like he tried to treat Gav like a child, just, he knew what that kid had been through, and he just wanted to make his life easier. There was nothing wrong with that he knew. But Gavin could be proud when he wanted to be, and he was always stubborn.

“Well now you’re just being a mingy little prick”

“You know when you use made up words to fight an argument that’s just called loosing.”

“I think you’ll find that those are actual words in **England** where the **English** language comes from.”

“Nah. You’re just special.” He didn’t even look up as he said it, still examining the guns, which seemed to have been kept in pretty good condition. Choosing to ignore the strange noises Gavin chose to make in replacement of an actual response, he turned back to Gavin.

“I’d say we have two hours till dark. Now I don’t know about you but I’m not being caught in the city at night again because someone was being a lazy asshole.” Cue the pointed look that Gavin avoided “I’ve left the truck in the alleyway outside Jacks, so I say we go pick him up and go home.”

“You mean to the cottage” Geoff could hear the fight starting to pick in Gavin’s words, and while normal he would argue the day had been too long and he was just happy Gav had come back.

“I’m not fighting you on this.” His words were clear, with the tone that sounded more like a father than a friend, and Gavin knew to change the subject.

“How about I tell you how I got those guns.” He said, his mood completely flicking again. God this kid had a lot of energy.

“Sure. Tell me while we walk”

 

* * *

 

 

“…and that’s how I got the guns!” Gavin finished proudly, adding as a small afterthought “shame about his arm though.”

“You’re an idiot.” Geoff muttered, and Gavin turned to face him, still walking with him, just backwards, his face full of disbelief

“But Geoff…”

“From the sounds of it he probably could have killed you if his arm hadn’t broken. You got incredibly lucky” Geoff frowned again “The whole trap thing? It’s not you. It’s dangerous and you definitely shouldn’t be doing it on your own.”

“Geoffrey! Stop acting like you’re my dad or someth-” Gavin saw suddenly cut off, due to the fact he had tripped over a rock, not much bigger than his fist (but he was walking backwards and he is an absolute klutz) He fell backwards, arms flailing until he suddenly wasn’t, Geoff having grabbed his upper arms before he could hit the ground, pulling him into this chest. To anyone else it might have looked like a hug, but it wasn’t, and Geoff released one of his arms and continues walking, only muttering “idiot” under his breath. His other hand slipped down to grab the Brit’s wrist, dragging him belong behind him.

Gavin didn’t say anything in the last few minutes of that walk.

 

* * *

 

 

In the pharmacy Jack wasn’t having the easiest time getting this Ryan guy to talk about himself. So, he was trying to get him to at least agree to stick around for a while.

“So, like I was saying Geoff has an extra room and as you’re going to have to stick around anyway I figured…”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.” Ryan cut him off again. This whole ‘lone wolf’ thing was beginning to piss Jack off by this point, but never one to be rude, he just calmly continued.

“I’m sure he won’t mind, and the farms pretty isolated so it’s unlikely you’ll have to fight off anyone out there.”

“The farm?” Oh. So that peaked his interest.

“Yeah. It’s about an hour’s drive to the west. Don’t get me wrong the community here is pretty zombie free, but it’s not just the zombies you should be afraid of at night you know.” Ryan seemed to get that, offering Jack a sympathetic nod. Yeah, most people now days where real assholes. The moments of silence that then followed were uncomfortable, Ryan eyes seeming to examine Jack, as if trying to work out his next move, whereas Jack just felt awkward, doing anything to avoid that gaze.

“What happened to this place?” For a guy who didn’t like to talk about himself Ryan did seem to like to ask a lot of questions. “I mean. This is a community right? A settlement. But even some of the more secure settlements have been shut down by now or moved on. Especially the ones that were there from the beginning.”

“You’re right. This place has been interesting… Ryan, do you know why most of the main city settlements fell apart so quickly?” It was a simple question, but this guy must have seen the destructions of many settlements on his way here. He paused, seeming to think it over.

“Well part of it must be population…” He started slowly, still thinking his theory through. “If an areas got a high population density than the virus spreads quicker. Plus the hospitals, people not realising the virus was contagious means it grew out of control quickly.” He looked at Jack straight in the eyes and for once the other man felt comfortable meeting his gaze “What. You weren’t on the ward that day?”

“I didn’t work in the hospital.” Jack replied bluntly, eyes not leaving Ryan’s, if not slightly distracted by what an appealing shade of blue they were. “But yeah. The hospitals were the downfall of most major settlements. But we didn’t have that problem. Because the first known case of the disease, before the general public even knew it was so contagious, all the hospitals in Austin were blown up.” Cue Ryan’s turn to look very uncomfortable.

“Jesus… although. I guess it was lucky in the end.” He muttered, and Jack let out a short and bitter laugh.

“Lucky for us maybe. But do you have any idea how many healthy people, people without the virus were in that building when it got blown up? People who could have been saved.” Jack didn’t get angry, that wasn’t him, but he could be sad. He really wasn’t one for the whole ‘sacrifice the few to save the many’.

“That…Did they…?” Ryan didn’t know what to say.  

“Some guy named ‘Mogar’ apparently. His signature explosives according to the police files. But a couple days after they realised it was him they announced how bad the virus was, and no one was really sure if they had the heart to go after him anymore. Hell, a couple of nutjobs basically worshiped him for it, some kind of messiah, saving them before they even knew they were being saved.”

And that’s how they were positioned, Ryan deep in thought, still sitting on the counter, absentmindedly fiddling with the new sling over his shoulder, glaring on the ground as if he could burn holes through it, with Jack standing, leaning against a table opposite with his hands gripping the edge of the table so hard they were turning white, when Geoff slammed the door open, dragging Gavin in behind him.

Ryan quickly got to this feet because, well why wouldn’t he. This guy looked like serious trouble, or business or both, he looked pissed off and Ryan was half expecting him to try kill or threaten Jack. But noticing how if anything Jack seemed to relax when he walked in, his grip on the table loosening, he figured the guy was probably fine, Gavin probably just pissed him off, which near definitely meant that this was the Geoff guy. The second Geoff released Gavin’s wrist all the tension in the room seem to disappear.

“You must be the poor guy that had to put up with Gavin and then Jack” Geoff said, sounding fairly happy as he walked over to Ryan and put his hand on his god shoulder “I’m so sorry.” Although his words seemed light hearted enough, there was a look in his eyes that let Ryan know that if he heart either of them, he was dead. This was the kind of guy Ryan could respect, and he never once broke eye contact with the other.

“You must be the Geoff I’ve heard about. Nice to meet you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for the kudos :D  
> I feel a lot better about this chapter, probably because I really like writing plan G?  
> So here if Geoff and a very brief mention of Michael (but oohh the plot thickens)  
> So as always CC is welcome, and I hope you enjoy!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Routines, how quickly they're made, and how easily they're broken.  
> Plus Lindsey and kind-of-ish-not-really Ray

Ryan really wasn’t sure when, nor was he sure how, but somehow just a week in and he seemed to be falling into some kind of routine. It was all very… domestic, considering. He got used to waking in the morning to find Jack and Geoff already sitting at the table in the main room and he got used to how, when Gavin didn’t wake up, Geoff would proceed to slam pots together over his head, the Brit’s ridiculous reaction never failing. So what he didn’t expect, the morning after his eighth night at Geoff’s, was for there to be a third member at the table. A girl with red hair so bright in the morning sun he sort of wanted to turn around and go back to his bed. But of course, once again his curiosity got the better of him.

“Ryan!” Jack called out and Ryan winced, it was too early to be so loud. “This is Lindsay, she’s an informant of sorts, brings us information. Lindsay, this is Ryan, Gavin broke his arm.”

“Nice to meet you.” Lindsay said, her smile not quite reaching her eyes “So Ryan. Don’t suppose you’re the so called ‘Mad Mercenary’ I’ve been hearing about.” Ah. He was wondering if that was going to come out. Ryan didn’t miss the way Jack frowned or Geoff’s eyes narrowed at him. Trying to keep as casual as possible he replied;

“Yeah. I’ve never been all too fond of that name.” Ryan replied solemnly, and it was true. He hated being called that. You kill a couple people and survive a few explosions and all of a sudden everyone thinks you’re some psychopath.

“Cool. You’re not what I was expecting you know. Figured you’d be bigger, scarier looking. But I figured half the stories were bullshit anyway.”

“Half?” So yeah people were known to exaggerate and embellish the campfire stories about the mad mercenary, but he rarely got to hear them.

“Well, there’s one story where you blew up your old school, that was being used as safety zone, just because your teachers used to bully you or some shit.” Ryan wasn’t really sure if he was supposed to laugh or be horrified at that, and suddenly he felt three pairs of eyes glaring at him, expecting an answer.

“I’m afraid not. Even if I did hate my school- which I don’t, no way I would have blown it up. I don’t even know how to make explosives let alone use them properly, and even if I did I probably still wouldn’t, they’re too messy.” The answer was honest enough, and Lindsay seemed satisfied, turning back to other men with her back to Ryan, where he could only assume she gave them some kind of signal as they both visibly relaxed.

“You coming with us today? I’ve got a couple of deals going down.” Geoff asked, looking at no one in particular, although Ryan knew he meant him. Each day he would either stay around the farm and work there or go into the shop with Geoff and help him there. It was his way of paying back the hospitality, that and he was sort of limited to what he could do with one arm, and this meant he wasn’t getting bored.

“Sure. Sounds good.”

“Linds?”

“Nah. Though I’m going to crash here for a couple days. That is if you still have room for me.” Her voice seemed teasing enough, but there was an underlying pointedness to it. And Ryan was certain she didn’t trust him.

“Course. You’ll be here with Gav then.”

“Awesome.” Her voice seemed to brighten at the mention of Gavin, but then followed a few moments of silence where Ryan realised she was giving Geoff pointed looks, despite not being able to see her face, and Jack coughed in the corner awkwardly, grabbing his attention

“Ryan, could you go wake Gavin up?” So they clearly wanted to talk without him, fine, he could take a hint.

Ryan had discovered early on that Gavin’s room was probably the nicest, and messiest, in the house. It seemed as if the kid had gone around finding every available blanket and pillow after the outbreak and just covered the room in them. He wasn’t surprised to find him splayed out all over his mattress, duvet covering half his body. Ryan had discovered over their morning breakfasts that he always slept in the same tattered shirt that was at least two sizes big for him, he just presumed it was Geoff’s.

“Hey, Gavin, wake up.” Ryan said, feet by the edge of the bed. When the Brit didn’t react he repeated himself, louder. “Gavin! Rise and shine!”

“Five more minuets Jack…” The Brit groaned and rolled over, cocooning himself in his blanket. He must be really out of it, getting Ryan confused with Jack.

“Gavin…” Ryan’s voice was low and threatening. Leaning over him and carrying the unheard message that he better listen to what he said. The Brit’s eyes slowly flickered open at that, his muddy brown eyes now seeming green in the morning light. As he slowly seemed to adjust Ryan couldn’t help laughing at the sudden look of panic on his face when he realised the man standing ver hi definitely wasn’t Jack.

“Jesus! Ryan!” Gavin whined

“Do I really sound like Jack?”

“What? Ah I dunno? Kinda I guess?” Ryan sighed. He hadn’t really thought about it but to be fair he didn’t really listen to his own voice.

“Come on and get some breakfast so I can leave” he muttered, turning around and walking towards the door as he realised the Brit really wasn’t getting out of bed. So he turned back around, and scooped him up with his good arm, dragging him to the kitchen by his waist. In return he got a flustered series of noises that sounded more like birds squawks than anything else. It still amazed Ryan how light the idiot was, I mean sure he looked lanky but Ryan was certain just from grabbing him that under that shirt his bones were clearly sticking out of his skin. Not that he was imagining Gavin shirtless because that would be totally weird.

The Brit began to walk with him, having realised that resistance was futile. He wriggled out of Ryan’s grip as they approached the kitchen and ran up when he realised who their visitor was.

 “Hi Lindsay!” It wasn’t the tackle or the jump hug the Ryan had seem Gavin use with those closer to him, but the sudden smile on his face made it very clear how excited he was to see her.

“Gavers! Geoff was just telling me about all the trouble you’ve been causing.” Lindsay laughed, turning to Gavin to ruffle the now pouting lad’s hair. “Looks like it’s you and me today.”

“Alright! Thank god. It get bloody boring when I have to reset all the traps on my own.”

 

* * *

 

 

An hour and a “be good kids” from Geoff later, and Ryan, Geoff and Jack were in the truck on their way in. The car journey was long and without Gavin’s games of many questions it was quiet, whatever Lindsay told the original gents that morning was clearly having a lasting effect.

 Ryan looked up from the back at Geoff, whose eyes were straight on the road, chewing on his lip slightly, hands gripping the wheel just a bit tighter than they normally did, his skin paling and emphasising the black ink lines that covered them. They were something Ryan had missed when he first met Geoff, and on reflection, even though he had been wearing a coat, Ryan was still surprised he could have missed it. Now he could see the hundreds of lines that created unique patterns up each of his arms. They were impressive, Geoff, was impressive. He was the guy no-one wanted to mess with, yet Ryan had seen him be so gentle when it came to Jack and Gavin…Ryan was distracted again as the car turned and a patch of sunlight caught a compass on his elebom that Ryan hadn’t noticed before, and he wondered how many tattoos hadn’t he seen, the man always wore sleeves and he was sure they must continue up his arms… but what about his chest and his legs? Maybe there were more there. And for the second time that morning Ryan realised he was imagining one of his house mates shirtless and he inwardly cursed, what the fuck was wrong with him?

“You okay back there?” Jack’s voice brought him back, and Ryan started thinking again how Gavin had thought they sounded alike.

“Yeah. All good.” Just imagining you all naked, he didn’t add. Oh god now Jack too? His mind was a pervert. An absolute perv. If anything he had found the bearded man the easiest to get along with out of the three. Despite his obvious initial distrust, Ryan and Jack got along pretty well. Ryan was in awe of Jack as much as Geoff, but in different ways. Like he was sure Jack must have been the kindest hearted person left alive, it was refreshing, if not amazing, to see someone who still had so much hope. He also worked hard to help other people, yeah sure he was a medic so it was technically his job, but he probably worked twice as hard as anyone else just so he could help people. Of course Jack would notice Ryan’s sudden mood change, of course he would care, and how could he do otherwise? He made Ryan want to be a better person, which sounded absolutely ridiculous, and yeah maybe Ryan scoffed at himself a little for thinking it but hey, if humanity actually wanted to survive through this then it was people like Jack that they needed. And by ‘people like Jack’ Ryan didn’t mean medics.

 

* * *

 

 

It wasn’t till later that day that Ryan found out what Lindsay had said to the two gents. There was always a sense that it was something about him, that she was warning them against him, but another part of him trusted them to have said something if it was that.

Geoff’s had been busy all morning, neither Geoff nor Ryan really having a break between bargaining with customers or threatening to take a guy out if he didn’t ‘fucking listen’ (Geoff mainly did that as there was something significantly less terrifying about a man with a sling.) But just after midday someone thought they heard a hoard approaching and they scattered pretty quick. Turns out it was a lone zombie, and Geoff took him out before he could do any damage.

“So…” Ryan started as they re-entered the shop, Geoff sliding his gun back under the counter he used as a till “What was all that about this morning?”

“You ever heard of Brownman?” Geoff interjected, looking up at him

“Only the odd campfire story here and there, supposedly a kid who’s good with a gun and works a mercenary.” You heard stories of the powerful who were still alive, supposedly hiring Brownman to kill off any competition for them, for a fee.

“Right. According to Lindsay he wants out of the merc game, and he’s heading down this way. She thinks he’ll be in Austin by tomorrow, apparently looking for a team.” Ryan nodded slowly, not sure what to think. If he wasn’t a merc anymore he wasn’t supposedly dangerous. Or maybe he was more dangerous now he didn’t have a side.

“So this is bad?” Ryan just thought he should double check. “I mean, he’s not coming to kill. He’ll look for team mates, and then leave right?”

“Ryan. He’s not looking to pick up randomers on the street. Lindsay thinks he’s after someone in particular. Problem is, she’s not sure if it’s you, me or Gav.” Ryan slowly nodded, while they weren’t so much scary campfire stories, Gavin’s traps had become fairly well known, and there was a reason people knew not to mess with Geoff…

“It’s not me. Well it’s unlikely. You made it easy to track you, you stay here. I’ve been here less than a week so it’s unlikely.” Ryan shrugged “So just tell him yes or no, shouldn’t be a problem.” But the look on Geoff’s face very clearly said ‘there’s a fucking problem’ and suddenly it dawned on Ryan. A highly impressive professional killer was coming for them. The type of guy that probably wasn’t used to being told no. Ah. Well shit. “Oh…”

“Yeah. Fucking Oh.” Geoff mocked “Look it’s probably nothing and we have till tomorrow anyway. Don’t worry about it okay?” There was something softer in his voice than what Ryan was used to “We’ve slowed down, can’t imagine I’ll have much more for you to do today. Weren’t you supposed to get Jack to re-examine you today?”

“Yeah. Alright. See ya.” Ryan nodded. He wanted to argue, but Geoff was right, things would probably be fine.

 

* * *

 

 

Ryan left Jack’s feeling a lot better than he had going in. Apparently he was healing up nicely (thank god) the fracture not being as bad as was originally predicted. Jack wasn’t certain but it sounded like it would only be three weeks until he was good as new.

And then what? Ryan planned on leaving, and if anything this whole Brownman thing was proof that he should. But where would he go? Keep walking west? That seemed very lonely all of a sudden. Ryan was so lost in thought that he almost didn’t notice the kid that turned the block corner, not looking where he was going, and ran into him.

“Shit man, sorry” Ryan looked down at the kid in front of him, short with messy dark hair and wearing glasses that seemed like they were going to break any moment.

“Don’t worry, you were too light to do any real damage.” He shrugged, and against his better judgement added “are you okay?”

“Yeah. Actually. No. Do you know anywhere that has glasses? I mean I know it’s the end of the world and all but mine broke a couple weeks back and these are not the right prescription.” He said, slightly laughing at himself.

“Jack might have some. He’s in the café just down there,” Ryan pointed behind him “Can’t promise anything but he’s probably your best bet.”

“Thanks man. Hey, I’m Ray, nice to meet you.”

“Ryan, nice to meet you too.” He replied with a grin before the two separated, one walking up to Geoff and the other to Jack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is later than I had hoped (sorry)  
> Also not what I thought would happen? Like I was planning on going straight into Ray but then I was like 'for that I need Lindsey' and then I just got too into writing fluffy/angsty Ryan? I don't regret it though. I feel it would have felt too rushed without it.  
> But hey what do I know.  
> CC always welcome :)


	5. Ray

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Geoff and Jack are hormonal teens (not really)  
> Ray's there  
> Minor Ryan feels (again)

Ryan, Geoff and Jack arrived home to a surprisingly quiet house, given the state they had left it in.

“We’re back assholes!” Geoff yelled as he walked in, surprised not to get a response, the three men suddenly going silent with worry. And of course the silence was broken with a loud snore, as they looked over to see the one and only Gavin Free, who had sprawled himself out over the longer of the two couches. How such a skinny guy managed to take up so much space was beyond Jack.

Noticing the Brit Jack watched the relief flash over Geoff’s face quickly followed by a familiar smirk. Oh god. Jack knew exactly what was going to happen next. He watched as Geoff walked around so that his arse was hovering inches from Gavin’s face, and Jack gently pulled Ryan’s arm back, warning him to get out the way as Geoff let one rip right in Gavin’s face.

Of course what followed was the familiar bird-like noises from the Brit, as he jumped up and attempted to tackle Geoff to the ground, failing miserably of course, as the older man just stood there laughing at him. Moments like this were important, Geoff’s laugh was absolutely ridiculous but seeing him happy and relaxed, well it was rare, and before Jack knew it he was laughing along with him, soon joined by Ryan. But then something dawned on Jack.

“Gav. Where’s Linds?” At that Geoff and Ryan immediately stopped laughing. They were sure she’d said she’d be staying until tomorrow that morning.

“Wot? Oh, yeah, she got an emergency signal from her friend? Some radio thing…I don’t know. She said it was an emergency and she’ll probably be back in a couple days, maybe with company.” Gavin shrugged like it was nothing, so Lindsay probably didn’t seem too panicked or he would have said something. Still, Lindsay had a lot of contacts in a lot of interesting places and Jack was kind of curious about what happened, and who she might be bringing with her.

“Great. I might as well set up a shelter at this rate.” Geoff groaned jokingly and even though he didn’t seem to really mind, Jack felt kind of sympathetic towards him. He’d never understood why Geoff had actually asked him to stay with him at the start, he’d just been so grateful, but this was Geoff’s home, having it invaded by others so often must get pretty exhausting. “I’m going to check on the farm. Later losers.” Geoff muttered, walking back out through the farmhouse.

“Jack?” He turned to see Gavin now standing in front on the couch, awkwardly staring at the floor. “Nothing happened today right? Like Brownman didn’t show up or anything?”

“No.” Jack laughed, reaching over to ruffle Gavin’s hair affectionately. “Just a few regulars, a broken leg and a guy looking for glasses. Don’t worry.”

“I wasn’t-”

“Okay Gav, I’m going go bring in the washing, it should be dry by now.” Jack laughed to himself as he walked off, god, that kid was impossible.

As he left Gavin fell back onto the sofa, shutting his eyes and his head slumping to one side. Ryan cautiously walked round and took a seat in the armchair opposite Gavin, half expecting to be told to piss off.

“So…”

“Yes Ryan, so.” Gavin responded, his eyes not opening.

“Um… Geoff and Jack, is that a thing? I mean, not that I have a problem with that, but um, they seem close?” Ryan stammered out, tripping over his own words, and it was Gavin’s turn to laugh.

“Nah. I mean I’ve asked you know, it’s clear as dicks that they like each other but Geoff’s got this whole ‘it’s the end of the world dating is a waste of time no one really cares about each other’ thing and Jack is too nice to push him. Bloody bollocks if you asked me.”

“Which is why we don’t.” Jack responded, re-entering the room with a plastic basket filled with wrinkled, but clean, clothing. Ryan looked shocked at being overheard, traces of guilt apparent on his face, whereas Gavin didn’t even flinch.

“Nah I think you’re being stupid. Just kiss him or somethin. Do it when he’s drunk if you have to.” Jack just sighed, they had this conversation a lot. But never with Geoff, Geoff who was way too oblivious to other people’s feelings to realise that Jack might kinda like him.

“See Gavin, unlike you some of us don’t need alcohol to express our emotions.” Jack bit back. You would think alcohol was one of those things going scarce but Geoff’s considerable supply in the basement plus his monthly raid for it (which was utterly ridiculous, someone should do something before he kills his own liver) meant the house was always well stocked.

“Don’t be such a mingy prick Jack.” Gavin responded, but there wasn’t the usual energy behind it. Jack didn’t have to look up to know that his eyes were closed, the Brit drifting off to sleep again. Sure Jack knew how he felt, but what about Gavin? Drawing blood from a stone seemed more likely than that kid telling anyone how he felt.

“Sorry.” Ryan called up at Jack, and the other gent just smiled and shook his head. Of course Jack’s day was better when Geoff would hum stupid songs as they drove in to town, he could never feel relaxed until the other man did and their early morning talks as the sun would trace the tattoos covering his skin was Jacks favourite time of day. But Jack and Geoff had been like this since before the outbreak. Back when Geoff had just been ‘the guy down the hall’. Jack knew Geoff wasn’t ready then, and he wasn’t ready now.”

“No worries. If I was in your position I probably would have asked too.”

 

* * *

 

The kid named Ray with the glasses hadn’t even crossed Ryan’s mind since they got back. Well he had but not in a significant way, he was just, um, nice to look at. Anyway. Ryan was a lot more focused on attempting to answer the new ridiculous question Gavin’s had come up with.

“So you get $500,000, but you have to either suck a dick or take it in the butt.”

So currently Jack and Geoff had agreed they would take it up the ass, whereas Gavin (somewhat ironically with his gag reflex) was arguing that a blow job made more sense. Geoff and Gavin were getting so into this argument, thank god it was Jack driving today, that they almost missed the sudden yell.

“Help!” an unfamiliar voice yelled from the area around them and instantly the car fell quiet. They were at the outskirts of town, a lot of abandoned houses in this area, supposedly not too many zombs, but for whatever reason a hoard of about 12 was ragging on the house closest to them, so intent on whoever was inside that they had completely ignored the truck.

“Shit…” Gavin muttered, and the gents followed his gaze to the roof of the house where a short figure was attempting to keep balance. A figure that looked a lot like Ray.

“You know who he is?” Geoff asked no one in particular, Ryan considered asking but Jack beat him to it.

“His name’s Ray. Came in looking for glasses yesterday. Seemed like an alright kid.”

“Well now he seems like trouble. I don’t like the zombs this close to the city. It’s unusual and dangerous for all of us… fuck. Jack. With me. Gavin, Ryan, stay in the car. You’d slow us down.” He muttered, pulling two shot guns out his bag and handing one to Jack. Ryan resented being told that, it wasn’t like it was wrong, he did only have one functioning arm, but still. God he couldn’t wait till his arm was fixed and he could show Geoff what actual strength was. As if reading his mind Jack spared him a sympathetic glance before slipping out the car.

Ryan watch as the two silently slipped around the house, only shooting when they were at the other side, so the sound of the guns wouldn’t pull zombies towards the truck. His concentration broke when he felt a small tug on his sling from the Brit sitting next to him, silently trying to pull him over to show him something. And that something was not what Ryan had expected.

Ray, who up until now had been seemingly panicking on the roof was steadily climbing the window ledges down to the ground, where there were now significantly less zombies thanks to Jack and Geoff, with a look that was a lot less fear and a lot more concentration. The gents must have missed him getting down as they were now inside the house, taking out whatever the found on the ground floor, but Ray had missed the two other members in the car, who were now watching him with suspicion.

Ryan made a move to get out the car, just to see if he was okay or what had happened for such a hoard to be after him, but Gavin’s grip on him tightened, warning him not to. So he sat and watched as the Ray pulled a large duffel bag out that had been hidden in the dead bushes outside, and from that he produced…a sniper rifle? Why the fuck did this kid have a sniper rifle, and suddenly panic overtook Ryan, realising that he was pointing it through the windows of the house that Jack and Geoff were.

“Gavin! We need to-”

“Shut up!” The Brit hissed at him and Ryan was suddenly struck by the authority in his voice that he hadn’t heard since they’d first met, and Gavin sighed as if that were an apology. “Look how he handles the gun.” Gavin murmured, trying to explain, “He knows what he’s doing. He isn’t going to accidently get Geoff and Jack, he’s a pro.” And it wasn’t that Ryan couldn’t see what he meant, there was a certain expertise that Ray, if that was even his name, handled that gun that was rare to find nowadays. But really? Something about this whole thing didn’t sit right in Ryan’s gut.

“He’s a kid Gavin.”

“He’s a professional kid then. Still. Better safe than sorry.” Gavin muttered, reaching over into his backpack and pulling out a familiar pistol. “Here.” He shoved the gun into Ryan’s good hand. “Even with one arm you’re probably a better shot than me with a gun.” Ryan nodded, looking the pistol over.

“Isn’t this my gun? As in the one you stole from me.”

“Yeah. Consider it an ‘I trust you enough to have weaponry around me’ present. Just don’t tell dad.” He joked, and Ryan didn’t have time to ask if he meant Geoff or Jack as Ray suddenly fired two shots into one window, followed by another in the top window. The sound was lost against the louder gunshots coming from inside the house. And then they all stopped.

Well at least the lack of human screams was comforting. He then disassembled the gun as quickly as he took it out, putting it back into the bag, and slinging it over his shoulder, just as Jack and Geoff walked out the house. They looked pretty badass, like they were walking out an action movie, blood splattered shirts (god Ryan hoped that blood wasn’t theirs), shotguns in one hand, ready to shoot if they sensed trouble.

“Good to see you made it out okay.” They could just make out what Jack was saying to Ray from where the car was parked. “Its Ray right? We met yesterday.”

“Yeah, had a bad fall from the roof but everything feels okay doc! Thanks for helping me out, Doc. I was lucky you guys were passing through.” Okay so he was definitely lying, and Gavin, who was apparently a lot better at reacting in these situations than Ryan was, quickly slipped out the car and walked quickly up to Geoff and Jack, slinging an arm over each of their shoulders and giving Ray a very pointed look.

It literally took everything Ryan had not to burst out laughing. Gavin was being possessive, and it was hilarious. But it was kind of adorable, and the look of confusion on Jack’s face was priceless, although for once Geoff seemed to know what was going on.

“Yeah, that did look like quite a fall.” Gavin snapped, and Ryan took that as his cue to leave the truck and join them, quickly hiding the gun in his jacket because he still wasn’t entirely sure how serious Gavin was about not letting the other two know he had it.

“Yeah, well I’m quite agile so it didn’t hurt too much and my bag broke the fall for the most part anyway so-” Ray was blabbing. So he knew he’d been caught out, that was good. Gavin stepped forward, de-tangling himself from the gents, and held out a hand, smiling.

“Ray, right? I’m Gavin. Glad you’re okay.”

“Um, yeah man, thanks.” Ray carefully shook the others hand, confused. “They just came out of nowhere so fast. Don’t suppose you guys know anywhere a little safer to stay. I was hoping to settle in this community for a bit you know?”

“Ah.” Ryan interrupted before the others had a chance, his good hand resting inside the pocket with the gun inside. “You know I’m sure I’ve seen you somewhere before? You ever been east?”

“Don’t think so man, sorry.”

“Right. Are you sure? Cause I didn’t realise when we first met but you look a hell of a lot like this guy I met once. Nice kid. Bad news though. Went by a stupid name… Brownboy? No. Brownman.” There was a sudden moment of silence where Geoff pushed himself between Ray and Gavin, pushing the Brit behind him with one hand and bringing up his gun with the other.

“Whoa man, calm down.” Ray stepped back from Geoff, holding his hands up by his head. “Look, we all have reputations we didn’t ask for. I mean I didn’t know the infamous ‘Commander Geoff’ was cosying up with the ‘Mad Mercenary’, but hey, look where we are now. So I’m here to say why not add one more.”

“Sorry if we’re not jumping up and down at the idea of you being here.” Geoff sneered. Brownman, Ray, whatever he wanted to be called didn’t seem like a threat right now, looking down the barrel of Geoff’s gun, but Ryan had a feeling that this could all change in moments, and his hand didn’t move from the gun in his pocket.

“If you really have a problem with me, fine I’ll go.” Well none of them believed that for a second. “But look, Austin is one of the safest communities for miles. I’ve heard the stories about how you run this place, dude, imagine what you could do for the whole of Texas, hell America.” Well apparently everyone knew more than Ryan did. Hell he’d never even heard of Geoff before he got here.

“Stories, they’re just that. I’m not looking to fucking take over the world.” Geoff muttered and Jack nodded behind him.

“Fine. Whatever you say. But have I really done anything to harm you? I could have taken you out by now if I wanted…” that earned him a prod in the forehead with Geoff’s gun, “but I didn’t. So fine don’t team up with me. Just let me stay. And if you change your mind great. Otherwise shoot me.”

“We don’t shoot other people here.” Jack said as Geoff lowered his weapon. Well not unless they were provoked, but Ryan was sure that didn’t need saying. “Bullets are for zombies.”

“You’ll stay with us.” From the looks on Jack, Gavin and Rays faces it seems that Ryan wasn’t the only one surprised by that. “There’s a lot of surviving families in the city, a lot of kids. I don’t trust you around them. So you’ll stay with us. You’ll sleep on the couch and I don’t give a fuck what you do in the day but if you want to stay in the city you stay with us.”

You didn’t mess with Geoff. That was the rule. It suddenly dawned on Ryan that all this time that’s what he’d been doing. He’d let them domesticate him. He didn’t mess with any of them and not because he couldn’t or because it was a rule, because for some reason the face that Gavin had mugged him and broken his arm now seemed more endearing than frustrating.

So as the original three turned and walked back to the car, he put a hand on Ray’s shoulder and gave him a small smile.

“You’ve been warned, they’re really going to grow on you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...This was supposed to come out two days ago and I'm awful  
>  Thank you always for the kudos and comments!  
> CC is always welcome :)


	6. Michael

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lindsey brings a gift in the form of a man with a temper. Ray couldn't be happier.

Quite simply, Ray hated his first night at Geoff’s.

The man hadn’t been kidding about making him sleep on the couch, despite the fact that they did actually have a fucking spare room, but as Gavin pointed out:

‘That’s Lindsay’s room!’

Whoever the fuck Lindsay was.

Seriously though. He should not have to put up with this shit. One by one he could take these guys out no problem. Sure, he hadn’t considered that the Mad Merc of all people would be here, but with a broken arm he was hardly a threat.

And so Ray spent his first night tossing on the slightly lumpy couch, thinking about how much easier it would be to just kill all of them.

Except, of course, it wouldn’t be.

Because Ray didn’t know how to patch people up like Jack did, he didn’t know how to work the land or have the contacts that Geoff did, he didn’t know how to work people like Gavin did. Honestly, why couldn’t they just see what he saw for once?

Ray wasn’t allowed to leave in the day either (as he so happily discovered the next morning). He was expected to stay and work on the farm, constantly being watched by Ryan or Gavin or Geoff. Never just one of them, always at least two. It was like they didn’t trust him. Well they were smart people then. The work was boring and pointless to Ray, and he wasn’t even allowed to bring his gun out to try shoot some rabbits. 36 hours in and he felt like he was already going stir crazy.

After three days of mindless work and enough daggers in his back to last him a lifetime, sweet relief from the mindless routine came in the form of a visitor, and Ray finally got to meet Lindsay.

Ray had become accustomed to being woken up by Geoff each morning, as he entered the joined living room/kitchen to make breakfast, followed by Jack, then Ryan and eventually, when someone got him, Gavin. The gent had little regard for Ray’s beauty sleep, so wasn’t afraid to make some noise when he entered, cluttering pots and pans accidently-on-purpose. So when Ray woke up to a completely different voice it was a surprise.

“Geoff?” The voice was female, and her footsteps seemed to be followed by another set. Instinctively Ray found himself reaching for his gun, but then remembered it had been taken by the others. But his rustling must have brought attention to himself.

“Hello?” The women called out again, and knowing he was caught Ray sat up, giving a friendly wave.

“Who the hell are you?”

“Ray. Who the hell are you?”

“Lindsay.” Oh. So here was the famous Lindsay. Ray gave her a quick once over, pretty, a little on the shorter side but so was he, bright red hair that almost hurt to look at so early in the morning. The two stayed like that for a moment until Geoff came rushing in.

“Lindsay. I see you’ve met our new guest.” Guest? More like prisoner.

“Yeah…Isn’t he?” Well apparently Lindsay was a lot quicker at recognising him that the others were. He made a mental note of that for later.

“Yeah. Long story. You brought your friend?” Oh yeah, the second set of footsteps. Ray had almost forgotten about them.

“Yeah, his name’s Michael. Kind of a pain in the ass but I think you’ll like him.”

“I’m right here asshole.” The voice coming from behind Lindsay stepped out of the shadows, and Ray was impressed. The guy couldn’t have been much older than him, curly brown hair that looked red in the morning light, the odd tattoo here and there, Michael was good looking. Geoff didn’t seem so pleased.

“Lindsay, I’m taking in kids by the dozen right now. We don’t have room. Sorry man, you seem great and all but-”

“Bullshit.” The redhead responded and Ray quickly decided people who didn’t put up with Geoff’s shit were his favourite kind of people. “He can take my room. I’ve got to go anyway, been hearing some talk about a cure further north. Might be nothing, but I can’t risk missing it.”

“Let’s be clear for a moment. You’re dumping this kid on me and leaving?”

“Still right here asshole.” Michael was once again ignored by the other two.

“Look, he’s good with a gun, great with explosives. You can use him Geoff, I mean it. He needs somewhere to stay and you’ll love him, I’m sure of it.”

“Jesus Christ Lindsay. I’m getting too old for this.” Geoff let out a long sigh “Alright. You assholes gonna be wanting breakfast?”

“Of course!” Lindsay grinned. Sitting down at the kitchen table. Ray honestly couldn’t blame them. Geoff’s breakfasts were like there was never any shortage of supplies. It was hardly bacon on eggs, but the farm always had plenty of oats, plus there was whatever fruit was growing and honey traded from the next farm over. It was all pretty much a luxury, and probably the only thing Ray had enjoyed about staying here so far.

“Hey.” Ray looked up to see that Michael had walked his way over to him, and was sheepishly holding out his hand like he wasn’t sure if Ray was going to shake it or not,

“Hey. I’m Ray. Aw awesome man that rhymed.” Ray shook his hand and grinned up at him, effectively breaking the tension.

“I’m Michael. Guess you knew that though. Looks like I’ll be sticking around here a while.”

“Yeah. Suddenly I’m not the new guy anymore.” Ray laughed, and Michael took that as a cue to sit down in the armchair opposite the sofa.

“So how many of you are there here?”

“Including you? Six now. Jack and Ryan will probably be up soon. Gavin…probably won’t be.” As if on cue Jack entered the kitchen from behind him, raising an eyebrow at the new guest and shooting Geoff a look, to which Geoff just shook his head slowly.

“Hey Lindsay... and co?”

“Hi Jack, that’s Michael. He’s all yours now.”

“Alright. Hi.” Jack sent a warm smile to Michael, who nodded in return, and then sat down at the kitchen table.

It took about another ten minutes before Ryan joined them, and then anther twenty before Geoff left again and came back in dragging a reluctant and sleepy Gavin, who was apparently having one of those days.

“Who the bloody heck are you?” He muttered at Michael, rubbing his eyes.

“Michael. ‘Who the bloody heck are you’?” He snarkily responded, putting on a bad, fake British accent to wind the Brit up. Gavin, never one for decent comebacks, just made the usual serious of squawks and sounds, staring with his mouth wide at the stranger who would dare be so rude.

It all seemed to be going okay after that. Everyone had taken their respective seats around the room, eating their breakfast. But then of course one stupid comment from Gavin and a hothead response from Michael (it was all so ridiculous Ray couldn’t even remember the details) and suddenly the two were wrestling on the floor. Gavin was long and scrawny and hard to pin down, but Michael actually had mussel, and it was only a matter of time before Gavin was pinned down, struggling, and everyone else was laughing.

“You know...” Geoff said as Michael climbed off Gavin, looking smug, and Gavin sulked away to his corner beside Geoff “I think you were right about him fitting in here Linds.”

 

* * *

 

 

Things got a lot better for Ray after that. Michael didn’t have the same prejudices against Ray that the others had (but then again, it wasn’t really clear if Michael even realised who Ray actually was). If anything, as the two new kids they bonded pretty quickly, still trying to work out where they stood with the others. The friendship between the two helped break the tension the others felt towards Ray, Jack kept smiling when he was speaking, Ryan’s eyes didn’t glare at him every time he made the slightest movement, Geoff stopped waking him up like an asshole (Ray had actually slept through the gent entering the room a few times now) and Gavin didn’t look like he straight up wanted to kill him anymore.

In fact, Gavin had taken to Michael so quickly that the three had started to bond as a trio, referring to themselves as the ‘lads’, as Michael and Ray began to participate in Gavin’s pranks, making a very exhausted Ryan, Jack and Geoff, who they called the ‘gents’, or ‘old men’ if Gavin was in particularly playful mood.

A week in and most days the two gents (always Jack and someone, being a doctor he had to be there pretty much all the time) and a lad (Michael or Gavin, they still weren’t as trusting with Ray) would go into the city, and the other three would work on the farm and find jobs to do around the house.

There was that one time, where the gents all went in leaving the lads, but the mess they found on their return…well that didn’t happen again. (They all got grounded that day. It didn’t matter that Geoff wasn’t their dad, they were too scared to argue with him.)

It was a Thursday exactly 9 days after Ray had arrive when he woke up to the sound of Gavin’s voice instead of Geoff’s. Which either meant he had completely overslept or there was a reason Gavin was up so early. He rolled over, trying to be as quiet as he could, and propped himself up on his elbows, low enough so that they still couldn’t see him, high enough to hear better.

“Ray? You awake?” Shit. Too high. Busted.

“Yeah. Whatcha doing up so early Gavvers?”

“Couldn’t sleep. Going over plans with Geoff- Ow!” he muttered, as Geoff punched his arm, the universal signal to shut up.

“Come have some breakfast.” Geoff’s voice still seemed warm, and the promise of food was always inviting enough, I mean YOLO right?  

An hour later as Jack finished washing up the last of their bowls, Geoff cleared his throat, grabbing the room’s attention.

“Ryan, Jack, the three of us are going in today.”

“Uh…” Ryan started

“Are you sure it’s a good idea leaving them alone?” Jack finished, throwing Gavin an accusing look, to which the lad squawked and jumped behind Michael.

“It’s alright, they’re not staying here either.” Geoff responded, receiving a confused look from Michael and Ray, and Gavin popped up from behind Michael grinning.

“Team Lads hunting trip!” Michael laughed and swing an arm back over Gavin’s shoulder, so that he pulled the lad forward. Ray just looked relieved he was finally getting to leave the area. The excitement levels were so high to took a mere five minutes for the lads to be packed and ready to go. (Well Gavin would have taken the longest, being the sheer size of his favourite weapon, but he had gotten ready a lot earlier.)

“Dude is that a fucking bow?” Michael started open-mouthed at Gavin, who looked dumbly at the wood work in his hand.

“Yeah? Look you like guns. I don’t. Seems pretty simple innit?”

“Yeah but it’s a fucking bow dipshit.”

“So?”

“So it’s slow? And takes up a lot of room! And I barely trust your aim as it is-”

“It’s also quiet” Ray cut him off before the gents had a chance to “If he shoots it there won’t instantly be a swarm of zombs on us…provided he can aim.” Michael stood, gaping at the fact Ray had taken Gavin’s side, and Gavin nodded as if to assure Ray he was capable.

Geoff cleared his throat again, holding three old plastic bags.

“Don’t forget your lunch’s darlings” his voice was dripping with sarcasm, Michael quickly grabbed his, followed by Ray, and then Gavin swung for his, and as he did so Geoff pulled his arm out the way, causing the Brit to stumble forward, only just stopping himself falling. Geoff and the lads laughed, Jack just shook his head, and Ryan, noticing how Gavin’s sulking was beginning to seem a little too real, to the bag from Geoff and handed it to him, the Brit’s face instantly brightening.

“Thank you lovely Ryan!” He ginned, at the same time as Geoff muttered;

“Traitor.” Although he didn’t really seem to mind.

“Alright! Team lads out!” Gavin announced, grabbing Ray and Michael’s wrists, and pulling them out the door with him. Geoff yelled ‘No stealing only scavenging!’ behind them and there was a slight sigh of relief from the gents as the door shut behind them.

“To work?” Jack turned to the other two, who nodded.

“To work. You can drive. But let’s make it an early day… I’d rather not risk the lads beating us back.” Geoff grinned and tossed the keys to the truck at Jack and the gents loaded up into the car.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And then there was six (finally). Brief Micheal there will be more.  
> But probably not next chapter.  
> Okay I'm very very excited to write the next chapter.


	7. Chapter 7

“You sure they’re going to be okay?” Ryan asked for what felt like the hundredth time for Geoff that day. Seriously. There was caring but this was ridiculous.

“Yes Ryan. They’re fine. Gavin knows this area better than anyone, and even with his tendency to stray, I trust Michael to keep him in line.”

“And Ray?” Geoff sighed. He was getting real fucking tired of this real quick.

“No. I don’t trust him but I actually think the kid’s taken a liking to the other two. He’ll look out for them. Anyway it’s not like we let him take a gun.”

“Real reassuring” Ryan muttered sarcastically in return.

“Jesus dicks man, look, they’ll be fine, but you might not be if you keep going on like this. Go see Jack or something, you’re probably due a check-up anyway.” Ryan looked like he was going to say something else, but thought better of it. Instead he just nodded at Geoff and walked out the shop.

The walk between Geoff’s and Jack’s always seemed surprisingly short to Ryan, even though he supposed it made sense, after all, so much of the community in Austin was bunched into this area. Hell he even saw kids about sometimes, a novelty since the outbreak, but in the centre they all seemed fairly safe.

That didn’t stop Ryan’s hand resting on the gun in his pocket, the one that Gavin had given him. Not that it had been Gavin’s to give or anything, but, not the point. You never knew when a zombie might jump you and with only one good arm Ryan would much rather be ready.

‘Better safe than sorry’ was the phrase occupying his thoughts as he pushed on the door into Jacks. Jack who had a patient. A topless patient. A topless female patient who didn’t even seem to flinch as Ryan walked in, smiling at him through strands of dark red hair.

Ryan, on the other hand, was not so composed about the situation.

 

* * *

 

“Cause it’s an advn-turr-ingg!” Gavin and Michael finished their made-up song, their steps slightly slowing so they could do jazz hands. Come on, jazz hands? Really? And the singing god make it stop. Ray could only put up with so much of this.

“Please stop.” He repeated for what felt like the hundredth time that day. “Can we not just do the walking without the singing? It’s bad enough that we’ve been out here so long…”

“Aww but X-Ray!” Gavin whined, slinging his arm around the smaller boys neck as Michael sniggered.

“And I asked you not to call me that. It’s a stupid nickname.” Michael gave an over-dramatic gasp and Gavin removed his arm from Ray, only to place his hands over his heart as if he had been deeply wounded.

“But X-Ray, stupid nicknames are the ultimate form of friendship!”

Ray quickly considered his options:

  1.       He could point out that he and Gavin were in fact not friends, which would lead to more dramatic outbursts from the other two
  2.       He could point out the fact he already had a nickname he didn’t like, which would probably spark an awkward conversation into how he got that nickname or the other two would just start calling him that and that would make him very uncomfortable
  3.       Oh shit. It would have to be three.



“They are not.” He muttered, his voice coming out like a whiny childs

“Are so!”

“Are not!”

“Are so X-Ray!”

“Are not Vav!”

There was a sudden gasp from Michael and Gavin which caused Ray to wonder if they had somehow magically synchronised.

“...Vav?” Gavin asked in a small voice.

“Gav! I mead Gav! A totally normal and sensible nickname for Gavin! It was a slip of the tongue I swear!”

“Vav huh…” Michael clearly hadn’t listened to a word Ray had just said “Yeah, it works. X-Ray and Vav. Some kind of shitty superheroes.”

“Hey! We would be great superheroes!” Gavin insisted

“Yeah! Better than you anyway.” Ray agreed with him, giving in and just going along with it. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt, just this once, to act like a kid with the lads, loosen up a little. After all,

YOLO

“But still no singing.” He said, to the disappointment of the other two.

 

* * *

 

To say Ryan was embarrassed was an understatement. He really should have been paying attention. He really should have noticed the shirtless (and braless, his subconscious added) girl sitting on the counter.

She didn’t care. Just sitting there as Jack continued sewing on her shoulder. Ryan couldn’t see what he was doing properly but it was probably some kind of stitches. Jack was just shaking his head, face covered by his hair as he looked down but Ryan was nearly certain he was laughing.

And Ryan? Ryan was bright red.

“Shit. Sorry! I should’ve knocked or something…. I’m sor-“

“Don’t worry!” The girl laughed and if Ryan hadn’t been so embarrassed to look at her he would have seen that she honestly didn’t mind. “They’re just boobs. Jack was nearly finished anyway. Right Jack?”

“Yeah, just…there. You’re all good. Jesus Meg, I still don’t understand how you got the glass in your shoulder in the first place.”

“Eh, let’s just say it takes more than one zombie to screw in a lightbulb.” She paused to laugh at her joke and put on her shirt from the messy pile next to her. “Look I’m just glad it hit me and not one of the kids. You can look now. I’m covered. Promise.” Ryan hesitantly looked up at the very attractive young woman in front of him, face still red.

“I’m sorry- I didn’t think…I…” He took a deep breath, recomposing himself “I’m Ryan.”

“I’m Meg” the girl grinned again, and leant back to look at Jack “So he’s Gavin’s Ryan?”

“Yeah.”

“Huh.” She eyed him up “I didn’t think you’d be so…”

“Shy?” Jack suggested

“Tall?” Ryan countered

“Attractive. I mean. Gav definitely got it right this time.” 

“Wha- I don’t? Do you mean? I? What?” Ryan struggled to get the words out, and Meg just laughed.

“Thanks for the fix Jack, enjoy your payment!” She grinned, gave Jack a typical knowing smile, and skipped out of the shop.

 

* * *

 

“So if we can’t sing what do you expect us to do?” Gavin muttered, poking Ray as he walked.

“I don’t know.” The youngest muttered, clearly annoyed, “How about we just keep walking, quietly.”

“Sounds boring.” Michael commented from his other side, and Gavin hummed in agreement.

“If you don’t want us to sing… how about you have to tell us a story instead.” Gavin decided

“A story? Seriously?”

“Yeah. I want to know more about you.” Gavin put simply, his hands now in his pockets “I mean it’s not every day Brownman lands on your doorstep.”

“I’ve heard so many rumours about you…I kind of want to see which ones are true.” Michael grinned

“Alright.” Ray shrugged, he didn’t see too much harm in this “So which rumour do you want to hear about first?”

Gavin and Michael exchanged a look, Gavin raised his eyebrows with a small shrug, as if to go ‘you first’.

“So you’re from D.C?” Oh. That kind of question. To be honest Ray thought they’d be asking him about the people he’d killed, not his origin stories.

“No. Well. Technically not. I’m from New York.” He sheepishly scratched the back of his neck “But I moved pretty quickly after the first outbreak. Heard about the safe houses being set up and I figured I could get myself a spot. DC was close enough. But I wasn’t really anyone before all this, so no one bothered to notice me before that.” Adding after a brief moment of silence he added “Is that it?”

“Are you as good with a gun as they say?” Gavin blurted out, and Ray shrugged

“You saw me right?”

“Yeah.”

“So what do you think?”

“Oh…” Gavin nodded, and after a confused look from Michael just added “He is… But if you were nobody before all this, how did you get so good with a gun?”

“Practice” Ray shrugged “No really, they had air rifle shooting practice when I got to the safe zone… pretty much compulsory. But I enjoyed it. I just picked it up quickly, figured it was a useful skill to have.”

“You seriously expect us to believe you got good with a gun by shooting an air rifle for a couple of weeks?” Michael snorted from next to him “Sorry dude. Not buying it.”

“You don’t have to believe it. But its’s true. Guess I’m just gifted.” Ray shrugged “I would show you right now if I had a gun…” He trailed off, looking towards Gavin

“Not happening.” The Brit replied bluntly “Geoff would freak. We don’t even know if we can really trust you yet.”

“Fair enough I guess. I probably wouldn’t trust you guys either.”

“What the fuck does that mean?” Michael snapped and the three of them suddenly stopped walking.

“Dude you’re kidding right? You literally show up out of fucking nowhere and all we know about you is that you’re good with fucking explosives? Seriously? We don’t even know where you’re fucking from. And you.” He nodded at Gavin “So you’re supposedly the British thief that’s been running around, but last I checked you had a partner. So where’s your mysterious partner that’s disappeared? I haven’t even heard Geoff or Jack refer to him once since I’ve been here.”

“That’s none of your fucking business.” Gavin growled

“Fuck off” Michael snapped at the same time

“”Fine. Fine.” Ray held up his hands “Look I’m saying you don’t know much about me, but you don’t know much more about each other. You get your secrets and so should I. It’s only fair.”

The three continues walking in silence after that.

 

* * *

 

“So why did Geoff send you in here anyway?” Jack asked Geoff, putting away the sewing stuff he had had out for Meg.

“I think I was driving him crazy.” Ryan muttered, still a little red from the earlier events. “Who was she?”

“Meg?” Ryan nodded “She’s part of the community here. Looks after kids who have lost their parents. She teaches them and some other parents leave their kids with her during the day. It’s a sort of school I guess. She’s good people.” Ryan nodded.

“Are she and Gavin…?”

“No.” Jack laughed. “Trust me not his type. Not that he’s hers either. They work together.” Now that surprised Ryan. He figured the Brit had something to do in town but teaching? Wasn’t exactly what Ryan had thought. Jack must have noticed the surprised expression because he added:

“He likes to help out with the kids. Teaches the older ones little survival tricks…He’s not exactly teaching maths.”

“Oh. So he’s creating tiny thieves?” Ryan laughed at the thought of a five year-old attempting to pickpocket Gavin

“Pretty much.” Jack laughed with him “But how come you were annoying Geoff?”

“Ah, yeah, well I…” Ryan sighed “I guess I just kept worrying too much about the lads.” Jack nodded, understanding.

“You know that they’ll be fine right?”

“Yeah it’s just…”

“Aww Ryan. Never thought you’d be the one to get protective.”

“I’m not!” Ryan started to go red for the second time that day “I just…”

“Hey” Jack walked forward and put a hand on Ryan’s shoulder, reassuring him “They’ll be fine okay. They may be young but they’re smarter than they let on…they know what they’re doing okay?” It didn’t sound patronising. It sounded gentle and sweet and Jack really seemed to be just trying to calm Ryan down.

“I know” Ryan nodded

“Look, it’s already pretty late.” Jack smiled seeing Ryan was okay and removed his hand from his shoulder, going to lock up “Help me clear away here then we can go get Geoff and go home. Better get there before the lads anyway… who knows what mess they’d make.”

“Yeah” Ryan laughed, moving to help him clear up.

 

* * *

 

“I was wondering why we saw so few zombies…” Ray trailed off, eyes wide at the sight in front of him.

“Yeah…” Michael murmured, Gavin for once being held speechless.

After not finding much other than a few cans of fuel from a dump site, the lads had decided to climb up a tree to scout the area, but the view they were met with wasn’t pleasing. Just to the north of them was thick forest area, but from the high point they could see the remains of a few bodies littered around the trees, surrounded by a swarm of zombies. There must have been at least thirty, surrounding them, ripping the bodies to shreds.

“Let’s go back.” Ray whispered. They were far enough away that they wouldn’t be heard normally. But right now Ray couldn’t find the confidence he had earlier, and instead of a response he heard the rustling of the leaves as Michael and Gavin began to climb back down.

Gavin was last to hit the ground, having been able to climb the furthest, but even as he stood there the lads couldn’t take their eyes off the woods. Still processing what they had just seen. Ray silently tugged at the other two’s sleeves, signalling for them to go as they began to walk back to the farmhouse.

“There were children…” Gavin whispered “I don’t understand. How could this happen?”

Neither lad felt like answering him. They only increased their pace, Ray not letting go of the other two.

 

* * *

 

“I’m going to go change my bandages” Ryan announced as they walked through the door, and Geoff and Jack nodded at him.

“You okay?” Jack asked Geoff the second he thought Ryan wouldn’t hear them.

“Yeah. Don’t worry.” Geoff shrugged and Jack frowned

“I do you know, worry.”

“I know. Jesus Jack I know.” Geoff pulled a bottle of water out the fridge and took a long sip, before offering it to Jack, who shook his head.

“Geoff…”

“No. Jack. I don’t want to talk about this.”

“Why?” There was an unusual level of bitterness in Jack’s voice “Because you won’t talk about how you feel unless you’re drunk out of your mind?”

“That’s not… I’m not… Fucking hell Jack we both know how this ends. Relationships don’t work. One of us will die and it will only make things worse for the other.”

“You’re such an idiot!” Jack snapped at Geoff “Last time I checked the fact that I care about you isn’t something that’s magically come out of the end of the world. And unless I’m a total idiot I know you feel the same way towards me. Us kissing isn’t going to suddenly change us you idiot! You didn’t want this? Then maybe you should have thought it through before you asked me to fucking move in with you!” He was yelling at the point where Ryan could probably hear him, but fuck it if he cared anymore.

“Jack… I just- I don’t- I’m…” Geoff couldn’t find the words, he didn’t know how to argue with that, he didn’t know if he wanted to. So he just did the typical scared human thing, and ran to his room.

Jack sighed. Looking sadly at where he had been standing, hurt. He got it, he did, he knew Geoff, understood him, but still…

He was sitting at the table just thinking, when the lads walked back in. When the outburst of noise from them that Jack was expecting didn’t come, he turned to see the three leaning on each other, shaking, pale, hands still linked together.

“What happened?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long   
> Over 50 kudos! Thank you guys so much :D  
> I'm kinda happy with this  
> CC is always welcome (and of course spelling and grammar corrections)   
> Thank you for reading <3


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The lads are a lil frazzled and the gents are there to help.

No answer.

“Gavin? What happened?” The gent’s soft eyes focused on the lad he was so familiar with, only to find him staring at the ground, making no effort to respond.

Michael, whose visible shaking from earlier had finally calmed down, looked to Ray, the one who had managed to stay strong the whole time. Ray nodded slowly as if he knew what the lad was asking him, he’d sort it.

“I think… I’m going to have a lie down.” Michael tried to make his voice sound as normal as possible. He should know better by now than to let something like this get to him. Jack didn’t miss the way Ray carefully unlaced his hands from each boys grasp.

Gavin didn’t say anything, only looking up to give Jack a smile that clearly meant ‘me too’ and left just behind Michael.

“Ray?” Jack asked again, increasingly concerned with the situation in front of him. “Ray. What the fuck is going on?”

Ray’s eyes flicked to the hallway, as if to show he was waiting for the other two lads to be in their rooms before he said anything, and two doors slams later he finally spoke, falling on to the couch that had been his bed since his arrival.

“We saw a community…or at least what was left of one. They must have been traveling towards Austin.” He let out a bitter laugh “There must have been double the zombies to bodies left by the time we got there. They were all just…lying in a pile. Like someone had set them up to be the next zombie buffet.”

“Ray.” The lad didn’t look up when he felt himself pulled into Jack’s arms, his much smaller body curling into the man, burying his face in his beard, accepting any human comfort that the older man would offer. This is what mattered. That they were alive and okay. He would let Jack take care of him and he would take care of Jack and all the other housemates. They wouldn’t let each other end up like that, no way.

The sat there like that for what felt like hours. Ray curled up on Jack’s lap, the gent

holding him with one arm and stroking his back like you would do with a cat with the other. It was domestic but it was comforting, it was what Ray needed right then, and if Jack was being honest it was what he needed too.

“Uh, I can come back…” Ryan’s voice in the doorway caused Jack to look up, momentarily stopping the movements on Ray’s back. The lad didn’t move at all, too comfortable to care.

“Jack?” At the same time Geoff’s voice came from the other hallway, cautious and confused, like he wasn’t sure if he was supposed to be talking to the bearded gent.

“Can you two go check on the other lads?” Jack’s voice was calm, not wanting to startle Ray. Fortunately the other two seemed to get the hint, worried expressions now on both their faces they looked at each other, still somewhat confused, but made their way down the hallway to Gavin and Michael’s rooms.  

Michael’s room was first, with Gavin’s being at the end of the hallway. They stood outside the door in an awkward silence, not really sure what to do, if they both were supposed to go in or just one? Plus Geoff still wasn’t sure how much of his earlier…conversation with Jack Ryan had overheard, and he was still a little on edge from that.

But along with the couple of very private things Lindsay had discretely told Geoff about Michael, she had mentioned a temper. A pretty bad one. To be honest Geoff was pretty focused on worrying about that right now, the rest he would deal with later…maybe.

“Michael.” Geoff knocked on the door.

“Fuck off.” The voice from behind the door snapped. Well, he didn’t sound too angry, only kind of angry. Like a tired sort of angry.

“Michael. I’m coming in.” Geoff repeated, not even flinching at the slight venom behind Michael’s voice. He gave Ryan a quick look that clearly said ‘leave this one to me’, and despite the raised eyebrow, Ryan seemed to accept it, giving Geoff a quick nod before continuing to Gavin’s room.

Geoff took a deep breath, and pushed open Michaels door open.

He wasn’t really sure what he was expecting. Maybe Michael sitting on the bed bandaging his hands like he was getting ready for a fight, maybe blankets and pillows thrown across the room, everything a mess, as if there had been a fight in there. But the lad just sat at the top of his bed, staring out the window, hands gripping his blanket so tight Geoff could see them going white. Apart from the bed the room looked as if it hadn’t been touched since Lindsay had stayed there.

Something about that bothered Geoff. Something he would deal with later. The two were snapped out of silence as they heard a loud ‘Gavin!’ coming from the corridor.

“I told you to fuck off.” Michael’s voice sounded more tired, like he was trying to will himself to get angry. Geoff took a step inside, leaning on the wall next to the doorway and closed the door behind him.

“I’ll fuck off when you tell me what the fuck is going on.”

“Seriously?” Michael looked at him first time, his face straight, challenging him.

“No.” Geoff corrected himself “I’ll fuck off when you tell me what the fuck is going on, and when you calm the fuck down.”

“My mood is none of your goddamn business.” Michael snapped back.

“As long as you’re living under my roof you better believe it fucking is. I’m not going until I’m sure you’re not going to do something stupid.”

“Something stupid?” It didn’t really sound like a question. Michael stood up on the other side of the room, glaring at Geoff. Oh this was so. Fucking. On.

“Yeah. Something real stupid. Like blowing us up.” In hindsight, Geoff knew that was a low blow and he regretted it practically the second he said it. He regretted it the second he realised how Michael's expression had changed to something truly scary. He regretted it the second the lad tackled him to the floor. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to fight back.

A fight for dominance broke out between the two, Geoff clearly outmatched Michael in his strength and experience, but the lad’s anger was enough to fuel a thousand fights at this point, almost matching Geoff’s ability. Almost.

Well the gent had been in the military.

He had Michael pinned to the floor, both their faces red, Michael still thrashing against Geoff but his movements were smaller, how tired he was beginning to show through. As he stopped struggling, Geoff smirked, satisfied, and rolled off him so he was sitting on the floor next to him.

For a while they stayed like that, Michael flat on the floor and Geoff leaning on knees, the only sound being the loud panting. Then Michael started laughing.

“What the fuck man?” Michael stuttered out between giggles

“Whatever.” Geoff was trying not to smile, but suddenly seeing the lad go from angry to laughing made him feel like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He stood up and held his hand out to Michael, who took it and let himself be pulled up, still grinning at the gent.

“Look, I’m sorry about saying that-” Geoff started, Michael still holding his hand but not looking up to meet his eyes.

“It’s okay. I was being an asshole alright? I knew Lindsey told you about…that. Just, if you could not mention it to the others…” That was his turn to look away, and Geoff lightly squeezed his hand before releasing it.

“I wouldn’t do that. It’s your shit to carry.” Geoff shrugged. He didn’t enjoy keeping secrets, especially not from Jack, but he got why it was necessary.

“Look if Jack and Ray are done making out on the couch, I think I’m going to go make us some dinner. Give me a hand?”

“Sure.” Michael grinned again, just glad the subject was dropped. “Wait. Jack and Ray? What?”

“Aw man you wouldn’t believe it.” Geoff laughed, putting an arm round Michael’s shoulders and pulling him out the room with him, only stopping to spare a quick glance at Gavin’s room at the end of the hallway. Ryan could handle him. Geoff was sure. Well. Sure enough.

 

* * *

 

Ryan gave a last look of good luck to Geoff over his shoulder as he turned and knocked on Gavin’s door.

“Gav?” No response.

“Gav?” He tried again, louder.

“Gavin!” He all but snapped, and without another response he decided to just barge in. His entrance was incredibly dramatic in comparison to the sight he was met with.

Gavin was sitting in the corner of his room, on what would be the floor but was covered with pillows and blankets, just as Gavin’s room always was. Ryan noted had changed into the same old shirt he slept in, and he was flicking through a small leather book, a mug with what looked like orange juice balanced on the window sill above him.

He looked up as Ryan entered the room, barely flinching, like he really hadn’t hear him outside. He gave him a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Oh. Sorry Rye-bread. Is everything okay?”

“I-uh-um… I was supposed to ask you that.” Ryan muttered, “Can I come in?”

“Sure” Gavin shrugged “But I’m fine. Really. Just a little tired is all.”

“Mm” Ryan wasn’t convinced, he stepped in to the room, taking care to close the door behind him. “Can I join you?” Gavin nodded in response, taking a sip from his mug and scooting slightly further into the corner, creating space against the wall for Ryan, and Ryan gratefully sat down next to him.

“You know you have a bed right?” Ryan muttered, shuffling against the pillows between him and Gavin.

“Yeah, but this is more comfortable.” Gavin shrugged, and Ryan found himself beginning to agree, as he pulled over a fluffy blue blanket and wrapped himself up in it. He couldn’t help but wonder if the minute Geoff had told Gavin this room was his, the lad had gathered every spare pillow and blanket within and five mile radius and hoarded it in his room.

“Whatcha reading?” He asked looking over the Brit’s shoulder “And is that…orange juice?”

“Frankenstein.” Gavin grinned, this time a little more believable, showing Ryan the beat-up old copy. “I have a books under the bed. And yes it is. I have a very secret stash.”

“Who would’ve thought… Gavin Free. Hoarder of blankets, juice, and books.” Ryan tried to look for the stash but his view was blocked by a few throw pillows that had also made their way under his bed.

“Shut up.” Gavin muttered, lightly shoving his shoulder against Ryan’s, causing the older man to wince as his arm still wasn’t quite healed. “Here, I guess I can spare a little.” His passed the mug over to Ryan, who took it from him.

“How generous.” But he still took a small sip, followed by a much larger long sip. Things like orange juice were a luxury. He hadn’t cared for it much before, but now, sitting so comfortably with Gavin, it made him feel relaxed.

“I was supposed to be making you feel better.” Ryan sighed, handing the now almost empty mug back to Gavin.

“Aww Rye-bread…” Gavin laughed at him “Don’t worry. Mission accomplished. You can leave now.”

“Not happening.” Ryan looked at Gavin straight “I’m not going till I think you’re good.”

“Fine.” Gavin huffed, turning away from Ryan so he was facing the wall, “I’m going to have a nap. You can read or something.”

“Gavin.” But Ryan found he was just being ignored. Again. Pulled off the blanket covering him, gently putting it over Gavin, or as well as he could with only one arm, and picked up the book Gavin had just put down. The pages were well worn, the spine of the book barely staying together. If he was going to babysit he may as well entertain himself.

Frankenstein was a book he knew well, probably being his favourite as he was growing up, but reading the familiar chapters now just made him feel bored. It didn’t help that Ryan’s skills to both hold a book and turn pages with one hand were lacking. He looked at the snoring brit next to him who had transformed from the ball he fell asleep in to exploding all over the space. The sun was setting just outside the window, and Ryan found himself feeling a lot more comfortable and a lot sleepier than he had felt in a very long time.

So he gave in. Reaching over with his good arm and pulling another thick blanket over himself. As he lay down he felt his eyelids getting heavier. Maybe tonight he’d sleep better, even if it was on the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for the support I've been getting for this :)   
> I'm really sorry this chapter took a while, just, school ya know?   
> As always, CC is welcome (and includes spelling and grammar mistakes!)   
> Hope you enjoyed :)


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning Ryan woke to find that Gavin had not only escaped the confines of the blanket, but had somehow spread himself on top of it, and Ryan too. The gent found himself wondering how such a twig-like boy could end up taking up so much room. He gently pushed himself up into a sitting position with his good arm, Gavin’s arm (which had been comfortable lying on his chest) falling down as he moved, causing the sleeping lad to fidget, letting out an incomprehensible series of mumbles.

From this angle it was a lot easier for Ryan to see quiet how badly Gavin had spread himself out. His eyes were closed, and his regular breathing let Ryan know he was definitely still asleep, but his eyebrows were wrinkled in the same way that they would when he was concentrating really hard on a task, and Ryan was curious about what he was dreaming about.

But the smell of warm oats brought Ryan to his senses and he quickly realised how much later it was than when he normally got up, his stomach rumbled at both the thought of a hot breakfast and the fact it was Geoff’s cooking. It occurred to him that there was no way he was going to get away with no mocking about this, and he shuddered a little at the thought of it. He could almost hear it now ‘mad? More like mad in love?’ and ‘Did you and Gavvy have fun at your little sleepover?’

Deciding that his stomach was more important (and he was going to have to get it over with eventually) he stood up, clicking his neck that had cramped up in his sleep, as the rest of Gavin’s body (roughly one leg and one foot) that was on top of him to fall to the ground. He froze for a moment, half expecting the Brit to wake up, but he simply rolled onto his side, bringing his legs back in closer to him. Ryan was walking to the door before he heard anything.

“Come back to sleep Dan.” The British voice was soft and a lot quieter than it normally was, but there was no mistaking the words. Looking back over his shoulder Ryan saw the Brit still seemed asleep, but his octopus position had been replaced with him curling up into a ball, the opposite as before.

Ryan walked back over, now more curious than anything else. Getting him confused with Jack was one thing, but Ryan had never even heard of Dan before. He had said Dan hadn’t he? Maybe Ryan imagined it. But he could see how the intense the frown on Gavin’s face had become, seeming more concerned than focused now. This with the combined worry of Gavin’s mood the night before caused a sort of nagging feeling bloom in the back of Ryan’s mind that he didn’t quite understand, but he picked up the blanket that he had been using just a few moments earlier, tucking Gavin back in (or at least as well as he could with one arm.) With one last look over his shoulder, that nagging feeling still there, he left the room to join the others for breakfast.

 

Ray was sitting at the island counter when he got in, Geoff still cooking and Jack already starting the washing up. All very domestic.

“Nice of you to decide to join us.” Geoff chirped as Ryan walked in, barely looking up, quickly followed by a ‘good morning’ from Jack and a ‘sup’ from Ray. Michael must have still been asleep.

“Morning.” Ryan nodded to them in response.

“Sleep well?” Jack’s genuine concern was one of the many endearing things about him.

“Yeah…” Now Ryan actually thought about it that was one of the better night sleeps he’d had in a very long time. “Yeah I did. My backs gone all stiff though.”

“That’ll happen if you sleep on the floor.” Geoff still didn’t look up as he made his snide remark, Ryan chose to ignore him.

“You slept of the floor?” Ray asked, and Jack gave him a confused look too. So Geoff hadn’t said anything. Okay then, it made Ryan’s life easier.

“Yeah. Seemed like a good idea at the time.” Ryan shrugged, he felt no need to go into unnecessary detail and give either of them mocking ammunition. He was the Mad Mercenary. Even if nowadays that was harder to remember.

“Dude, I don’t even have a bed. Next time you want to sleep on the floor I’ll happily swap.” Ray laughed.

And after that the four quickly fell into casual conversation, idle talk about the weather and zombies and Geoff’s cooking. Eventually, much later than usual, Michael joined them.

Like a grumpy cat who really didn’t like mornings, he sulked into the kitchen and took the seat next to Ray, slightly squinting in the bright sunlight. He glanced at each person, although Ryan noticed as his gaze lingered for a moment on Geoff, remembering the distant yells he had heard the day before, wondering what had actually happened between the two men.

Eventually Geoff left for moments and returned with a sleep looking Gavin trailing behind him, rubbing his eyes like a small child. He avoided looking at Ryan as he came in, although the gent was sure he felt his glare in the back of his head when he wasn’t looking.

“Hey, Ryan?” Ray was looking at him “Did you ever pass through Florida?”

“Hmm” Ryan thought for a moment. Stats lines weren’t really so clear nowadays, but he had been around a lot before all this, so it was likely… “Yeah I think so? Or at least I tried to. Weren’t they trying to stop people getting in?”

“Yeah that’s the one. One of the first ‘gated communities’, I heard they had the record amount of evacuees within the first week.”

“People wanted to escape by sea.” Ryan nodded “Always wondered what was actually going on on the other side though.”

“Well let me tell you.” Ray grinned up at him. It wasn’t exactly a happy grin, more…devious. And a somewhat familiar look to Ryan. “Has to be the most corrupt place I’ve seen. And I passed through D.C.”

“I heard a rumour that all the boats were actually burned?”

“Yeah. Turns out that’s true minus a few they were hanging on to. But they wanted to keep this illusion that they could still leave at any point.”

“So why were you there?” Ryan knew the question was stupid as soon as the words left his mouth, and suddenly the two men were aware that the rest of the room had gone quiet, waiting for Ray’s answer.

“Look. It’s a less corrupt place now.” Was his only response, and Ryan and Michael laughed. Geoff just shook his head, Gavin and Jack didn’t respond. The contrast of reaction was awkward to say the least.

“Right.” Geoff said, slamming his tattooed hands down on the table to break the awkward tension. “So who’s going in today? I know I have to.” Jack shrugged, it was well known by now he had to go in regardless.

“I need to go help out.” Gavin simply said.

“Okay.” Geoff nodded “So Jack, Gavin and I will…”

“Jack is supposed to take another proper look at my arm today.” Ryan pointed out

“And I promised Joel I would help sort out some of the radios today.” Michael interrupted

“And I actually need to get clothes that fit.” Ray said “Seriously. You guys are going to have to let me into town at some point.”

“Fine.” Geoff sighed, defeated, “we’ll all fucking go.”

 

* * *

 

Geoff quickly decided that six people in the truck equalled one massive fucking headache for him. Thank fuck at least Jack was driving.

The car was big but was still only a five-seater, which had meant Ryan, Ray, Michael and Gavin had ended up shoved against each other, and of course Gavin had perked up the second they left which lead to yet another round of stupid questions.

And then of course the fucking coins came up.

And then of course Ryan had to say something.

Which only lead to Michael screaming at both of them to ‘shut the fuck up’ which Geoff had to admit was a justified message- but still ended up only creating more noise. And Ray’s snarky comments at the side really weren’t helping.

Geoff groaned, not that anyone in the back seats noticed, and hit his head against the window. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Jack, still focused on the road, but he noticed how his lips slightly twitched into a smile at Geoff’s actions.

“At what point…” Geoff’s voice was softer than usual, quiet enough so only Jack could hear under the racket in the back “Did we agree to take in a bunch of kids?”

“Hey, speak for yourself old man.” Jack response was even quieter, “Some of us are still too young to be dads.”

Geoff scoffed at that, causing both gents to start laughing, loudly, earning them four strange looks from the back.  The laughs stopped as the soft static that had been coming from the radio cut off and was replaced with a voice.

See, the car radio was  constantly tuned in to the same frequency everyone in town used, that way a message could be passed around quickly, only normally it was only used in case of an emergency, like a unexpected hoard, or something even more terrifying.

“…and as usual all representatives will be expected to be at the meeting at midday, if necessary they may leave early. Any non-representatives who wish to express a concern or opinion may arrive at fourteen hundred hours where they will be heard out.

Thank you. Burns Over.”

“Fuck you Burnie!” Geoff yelled, slamming his hands down in front of him. Jack however, wasn’t remotely phased.

“The radio only works one way Geoff.”

“Fuck it. Turn the car around right now Jack, I need alcohol if I’m going to do this today.”

“You wanna fill us in on what’s going on?” It was Ray that finally decided to speak up.

“We call them town council meetings.” Jack responded, clearly ignoring Geoff’s command “We have them once a month. Everyone who owns a store or is in charge of a service is expected to show up so we know how we’re doing for supplies and such. I go for the practice, Geoff goes for his shop. Gavin didn’t you go last time-”

“That was only because Meg was sick.” Gavin quickly tried to redeem himself “And after some of the comments trust me; it won’t be happening again.”

“Don’t tell me someone else finds you annoying” Michael faked shock, mocking the younger lad.

“You need me to run the store while you’re out?” Ryan had gotten pretty used to working at Geoff’s by now.

“Oh I forgot the best bit.” Jack chuckled to himself “Geoff’s store has the biggest back room, and it seemed selfish to take up a new building that would be so rarely used, so we like to hold it at his!” Geoff’s groan only added to Jack’s enjoyment of this moment.

“Besides.” Geoff added “You need to babysit Michael and Ray while it’s going on.”

“I get it, I get it.” Ray grumbled “I’m the big bad killer. You don’t want your friends recognising me. But I don’t need a babysitter.”

“Ryan the babysitter guy.” Michael muttered under his breath, and he and Gavin started giggling like idiots.

“And Michael.” Jack pointed out again, stopping the boy’s laughter. “I know you need to help Joel but he won’t be around till the afternoon anyway.”

Michael shrugged “He said not till meet him told three anyway. Should be fine.”

“And Gavin-”

“I’m working with Meg today. Or not if she’s going to this bloody thing. But you don’t need to schedule me _Sir._ ” he mocked Jack.

“Good.” Jack wasn’t fazed at all “Then we all know what we’re doing today.”

“I hate you all.” Geoff groaned, today as going to be a long day.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter isn't really that...interesting. Really sorry. But it's building up into other stuff that will be a lot more interesting in chapters to come I promise!!  
> Also, really sorry about how long it's taken me to update this. I mean I'm not normally amazing with updates but this is just....really bad.   
> Again I'm so sorry!  
> But thank you for all the lovely comments and kudos, I'm glad people are enjoying this.  
> As always, CC is welcome :)


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